Elon Musk’s Starlink has climbed to the seventh spot among Kenya’s internet service providers (ISPs), surpassing established players like Dimension Data and Liquid Telecommunications Kenya just six months after entering the country’s top ten.
According to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Starlink now serves 19,146 users, up from 16,786 three months ago, capturing 1.1% of the market. While this is still far behind leading providers like Safaricom and Jamii Telecommunications, Starlink’s rapid growth highlights the increasing demand for satellite broadband, especially in areas underserved by fibre and fixed wireless networks.
The company’s expansion has also driven wider adoption of satellite internet in Kenya. Other providers, including Viasat, Indigo Telecom, and NTvsat, collectively serve just 257 customers.
However, Starlink’s rise has drawn regulatory attention. Local ISPs, including Safaricom and Airtel Kenya, argue that its presence could disrupt competition. In response, the CA is set to raise satellite licence fees from $12,302 to $115,331 and introduce a 0.4% levy on annual turnover—measures that could slow Starlink’s growth.
Despite the regulatory pushback, Starlink continues to expand its presence with strategic investments and aggressive pricing. The company launched a Nairobi ground station in December 2024, reducing latency from 120 to 26 milliseconds. It also introduced a limited-time price cut on installation kits, a $10 50GB data plan, and a hardware rental option. By 2025, Starlink aims to deploy satellites capable of connecting directly to mobile devices, eliminating the need for hardware kits and intensifying competition with traditional telecom providers.
Still, Starlink remains a minor player in Kenya’s internet market, holding just 1.1% compared to Safaricom’s 36.1% and Jamii Telecommunications’ 23.6%. To truly challenge these giants, it will need to overcome regulatory hurdles and expand its user base significantly.
